Manufacture of flexible shafting



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MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE SHFTING Original Filed Aug. 20, 1951 9Sheet`S'-Shet 6 pa 28, i936. R, c. ANGELL ET AL MANUFACTURE FLEXIBLE SHFTINGr Original Filed Aug. 20, 1931 9 Slnaes-Sheet` '7 oeri (,'ng'l ND Fi azz/ L QM/adsu/wfiiz, Q ATTORNEY NNN n NQN NN @Naw pil 23, 3935 R. c, ANGELL ET Al. Zgs

MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE SHAFTINCT Original Filed Aug. 2O,v 1951 9 Sheet's-Sheet -8 INVENTORS Apfi- 23, 3935 R. c. ANGELL. ET AL MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE SHFTING l 9 Sheets- Sheet 9 I Original Filed Aug. 20, 193].

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ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MANUFACTURE OF FLEXIBLE SHAFTING Original applicationrAugust 20, 1931, Serial No.

558,340. Divided and this application May 20,

1935, Serial No. 22,324

18 Claims. (Cl. 29-33) This is a division of our prior application Serial No. 558,340, filed August 20, 1931.

Our invention relates to the fabrication of a flexible shaft, which comprises a core body and one or more layers of strand wire coiled thereon, and, which, when so fabricated, can be used, in a bent or curved condition, to transmit power, without any undue or detrimental internal friction or loss of efficiency; and which will also be free from any substantial or objectionable amount of unrelieved or unbalanced stress or strain, that would tend to make the fabricated body kink or curl When cut up into short lengths, or to whip or kick when rotated on its axis. We attain this object by subjecting veach coiled layer of strand wire, after it has been wound, and before another layer has been superimposed thereon, to a mechanical working, which has the effect of not only reducing the initial pressure engagement, or localized contact, between the said layer and the underbody upon which it is wound-and thereby permitting of relatively free movement between the contiguous shaft elements-but of also relieving the fibers or grains of the tightly coiled and elastically distorted material from such irregular or unequalized stresses and strains as may be imposed upon it during the winding operation; and which has the further effect of setting, or fixing, these fibers or grains in their freed and equilibriated position;thereby eliminating, or greatly reducing, the tendency of such residual distortions and stresses tov produce `a twisting and partial uncoiling of the helical windings when the end restraint thereon is removed.

More specifically stated the purpose of our present improvements is to obtain the results above described, by subjecting a material portion of the outermost particles or fibers of each successively wound layer of strand wire to a combined peening, planishing landrubbing, or rolling action, which is obtained by the use of a new type of high speed multi-die swaging and rolling mechanism, that is adapted to exert a great multiplicity of very rapidly recurrent impact and compression stresses, on substantially every point of the contacting surfaces of the superimposedhelical coils, (where the iibers of the metal have been most severely stressed by the bending of the wire around the core body), as the partially formed shafting is progressed through the fabricating mechanism;-these operations of winding each strand layer, and of then subjecting said layer to this mechanical treatment, being carried on concurrently and continuously as the fabrication proceeds.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method for subjecting each successive layer of strand wire elements to the combined effects of a heat treatment and of a mechanical working, (of the character above described), prior to the formation of the next, or superjacent, layer; and we accomplish this, preferably, by passing an electric current through each group of strand Wires either prior, or subsequent, to the winding operation, by which they are applied to the core or underbody; thereby improving or increasing the cooperative benecial results of the concurrent heating, swaging and rolling actions. In conjunction with these mechanical, and thermo-mechanical treatments of each individual layer of strand wires--either or both of which may be used at the option of the machine attendant-we further provide for also subjecting the material to an electro-magnetic treatment, which can be applied, whenever desired, by creating an intense magnetic eld, preferably alternating in character, in the zone or region of mechanical working.

An additional purpose of these improvements is to reduce the tension that must be applied to the strand wires, in order to coil them around, and draw them down upon, the underlying core body of the shaftng. Winding the strand wire at high tension is objectionable both becauseof the excessive stresses and strains to which the strand wire is subjected and because of the reaction of this high tension upon the core body which creates objectionable effects which persist in the finished structure, and also because the lowering of this tension decreases the initial pressure contact between the two engaged elements. It is accordingly very desirable to reduce the tension at `which the strand wires are wound. The contraction of the hot coil upon the core will necessarily somewhat increase the pressure contact so that it is the more desirable that it be initially as low as possible. Winding the strand wires while hot also decreases the strains and stresses which are imposed thereon by the bending and coiling action. The forces required to effect this action areproportional to the lateral stiffness, or transverse strength, of the strand wires; and since this is less at high temperatures than it is at low temperatures, we provide means for heating the strand wire elements-for a short distance back of the point where they are wound upon the core body-to a controllable predetervmined temperature which is sufficiently high t0l substantially reduce their transverse stiffness, but not high enough to detrimentally affect, or peractuated means-operable while the winding operation is in progress-for Vsimultaneously varying the tension on all of the strand wiresV in each layer. Y

Still another object of our present invention is to make provision for a special tempering treatment of each layer of hot strand wires immediately after it has been laid on the underbody, for the purpose of not only equalizing temperature effects in the juxtaposed elements of the partially fabricated shafting before they are subjected to either the mechanical, or the thermo-mechanical, or the electro-magnetic-mechanical actions above described (or any two or all of them conjointly), but of also imparting to the strand wire material physical properties or characteristics which may render it more susceptible, or better adapted, to benet Vfrom the Ysucceeding operations.

Other objects and purposes of our improved mode of procedure; and other advantages of the various mechanisms which we provide for the practice of our invention, will more fully appear from the following Ydescription of several illustrative embodiments of our improvements. the drawings which form a part of this description:

Figs. 1 and 1a, taken together, present a general plan view of a multi-stage machine for fabricating four-layer flexibleshafting; and Figs. 2 and 2a., taken as one, is a front elevation of this machine;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectionpartly in elevation-of one'of the winding head units of our apparatus; and Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views of certain details of this apparatus;

Fig. 6 is another longitudinal section; on a still larger scale, of a portion of the construction shown in Fig. 3; and Fig. 7 is an end view-looking in the direction of the arrows 1-1 of Fig. 6- of one of the structural elements thereof;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of one of the accessory swaging and treating units of our improved organization; Fig. 9 is a partial longitudinal section-on the plane 9-9 of Fig. S-and Fig. 10 is a composite longitudinal section-as viewed in part on the plane III-l0 and in part on the plane Illa-IQa of Fig. 8of one of these same units;

Fig. 11 is a greatly enlarged cross sectional View showing the manner in which the hammer dies of this swaging unit engage the surface of the shafting; n

Fig. 12 is an end view of an alternate form of swaging and treating mechanism which embodies certain features of our improvements; and Figs. 13 and 14 are longitudinal sectional views (similar to those shown in Figs. 9 and 10) on the respectiveplanes |3-l3 and Ill-I4, H12-I4a of Fig. 12;

Figs. 15, 16, and 17 are greatly enlarged diagrammatic views showing the action of the hammer dies of the mechanism, illustrated in Figs. 12,' 13, and 14;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged sectional plan view-on the plane l 8-l 8 of Fig. 14-of an accessory rolling and recoil mechanism which may be used in conjunction with either one of the two swaging units illustrated in Figs. 8 to 17 inclusive; Fig. 19( is a cross section-on the plane |9l9 of Fig. 18- of this accessory device; and Fig.. 20 is a greatlyl InV enlarged diagrammatic view indicating the recoil action thereof.

Fig. 21 is an end elevation, partly in section, of one Vof Ythe several intermediate draft units-as Viewed from the plane ZI-Zl of Figs. 1 and 2- and also illustrates one of the trains of driving mechanism which actuate each wind head member of the apparatus; and Fig. 22 is an enlarged end Yelevation of the terminalV draft unitas viewed in the direction of the arrows 22-22 of Fig. 1aof the organization; and

Fig. 23 is an end view-as viewed from the plane 23-23 of Fig. la-of a portion of the driving train for actuating the take-up or spooling Y reel of the apparatus.

Fig. 24 is a general view of the successive layers of the exible shafting as produced by the machine. Y

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 2a, inclusive,

is adapted to continuously fabricate multi-layerV flexible sha-fting, by concurrently winding four groups orv sets of strand wires, in successively superimposed order, about a central core body, as the latter is progressed through the machine, and then treating each progressively wound layer in such manner as to relieve the initial pressure Contact between it and the underbody-and to also remove or relieve the internal stresses induced in the material by the winding operation, before the next layer is applied thereto;-the apparatus being designed to permit this treatment to be widely varied, both in nature and degree, for the purpose of most effectively handling dierent materials, and producing various kinds of shafting, to meet particular requirements.

Generally stated the complete apparatus comprises; a rectangular bed frame B-which is made up of four sections, I, 2, 3, 4, that are bolted together end to end, and are supported, at suitable intervals on floor pedestals 5, 5, 5, etc.;-a'corereel C, which is revolvably mounted on a bracket B1 at one end of the bed B; a set of four winding units, A1, A2, A3, and A4, each mounted near one end. of the correspondingly numbered bed sections (l, 2, 3, 4); a cooperative se-t of swaging units N1, N2, N3, and N4, each of which is supported on the opposite end of one of these bed sections; an equal numberr of draft units, M1, M2, M3, and M4, each positioned at the exit end of the correspondingly designated swaging unit (N1, N2, N3, N4) a jack shaft J, that extends the entire length of the bed B and which serves to drive all of the successively arranged unit groups, A1-N1-M1, A2-N2-M2, A2--N3-M3, and A4-N4-M4; a motor, F, which is mounted below the bed of the machine (on the section 3), and i-s coupled to the jack shaft J through the medium of a silent chain connection G; and a take-up spool D, which is preferably mounted on a separate floor stand H, at the front or delivery end of the apparatus. This arrangement of parts makes it possible to easily insert any additional number of bed sections-(each carrying a set of three units AX-NX-MX)-between the two end sections, l and 4, and thus adapt the machine to the fabrication of exible shafting with any desired number of superimposed strand wire layers. As shown more in detail in Figs. 3f, 4, 5, 6, and '7, each of the winding units, (A1, A2 etc.), comprises a drum shaped frame, which is made upof two end heads 6 and '1, that are tied together with four rods or bars 3, 8, S, 8, and are provided with extension trunnions 9 and le, that are rotatably mounted in the pedestals Il and l2 on the bed B. The trunnion 9 is providedatmits,

rear end with a spur wheell I3. which is detachably secured thereto by a key and lock nut I4, and which is driven from the jack shaft J by an adjustable train of gearing, which will be later described in conjunction with the associated mechanism for operating the corresponding draft units (M1, M2 etc.) Y

The bobbins I5, I5, I5, I5, which carry the supply of strand wire for forming each helical layer, are rotatably mounted on a sleeve I6, whose rear end is supported, in an insulating bushing Ia, on the hub of the rear head 6, and whose front end is slidably engaged by the inner flange IQ of a U-shaped collar I1. The outer flange I8 of this collar is in turn supported by the hub of an intermediate spider 20, which is slidably mounted on the rods 8, 8, 8, 8, and which can be secured in any desired position thereon by the clamp bolts 2 I-ZI, etc. The inner flange I9 of the collar I'I is provided at its rear end with an inturned annular lip, 22, that is rotatably engaged with the enlarged head 23 of a hollow tube, 24, which extends rearwardly through the trunnion bearing of the head 6, which is engaged at its rear end with a threaded hand wheel 25. The lip 22 of the collar i 'I is detachably held in engagement with the head 23 by means of the threaded retaining collar and lock nut elements 26-2'i;-the arrangement being such as to retain the collar I7 in axially fixed position with respect to the tube 24, but permit free relative rotary movement of these two parts. The threaded hand wheel 25 is held against axial movement between the end of a retaining bracket 28, that is supported on the rear pedestal I I, and an end thrust ball race 29 that bears against the adjacent extremity of the trunnion 8. The tube 24 slides freely through the openings in these parts Ztl- 29, but is prevented from rotating therein bythe pin Sil, that engages with the slotted end of the tube; so that the turning of the wheel 25 will move the member 24-together with the collar II--axially of the winding head frame. A compression spring 3| is inserted in the annular recess between the flanges I8 and I9 of the collar I7, and is engaged at its rear end with a disc 32, which serves to press the four bobbins I5, I5, I5, I5,-and the interposed friction washers 33, 34 34, `'t3-against the opposite flanged end of the sleeve I5; and the axial movement of the members II and 24 increases or decreases the tension of the spring 3l, and correspondingly alters the pressure engagement between the washer elements :S4-(which are free to move axially on the sleeve I5 but are prevented from rotation thereon by the usual keyway and spline connections and the ends of the bobbins, and thus varies the frictional resistance to rotation of the latter on their sleeve support. This arrangement permits of the concurrent adjustment of the tension on all of the strand wires, as they are drawn from the bobbins, without stopping the machine.

In this construction each of the tie rods 8 is a hollow tube, which is adapted to slidably receive three plungers, 35, 36, and 31, and a corresponding set of three compression springs 3B, 39, and 40, that are interposed respectively, one between the terminal nut 4I (that clamps the front end of the tie red 3 to the front head l of the winding frame) and the plunger 35; another between the rear end of the plunger 35 and the adjacent front end of the plunger 36; and the third between the rear end of the plunger 3S and the adjacent forward end of the plunger 3'I. The

plunger 35 is slotted at an intermediate point in its length to receive and rotatably support a tension vroller 42; and the adjacent portion of the tube 8 is correspondingly slotted to receive the edges of this roller, and at the same time prevent the plunger 35 from rotating in the tube. plunger 35 is likewise slotted at a point between its ends to embrace a second tension roll 43, whose shaft is rotatably mounted in the walls of the tube 8. The slotted portion of the piunger 36 is provided with slightly enlarged openings through which the shaft of the roll 43 passes freely; and the rear end of the slot in this plunger is shaped to closely embrace the periphery of this roll. The rear plunger 3'! is prevented from rotation in the tube support, 8, by means of a pin 44; but it can be moved axially in this member by means of a cap screw 45 which is threaded into the plunger, and whose head projects through the sleeve nut, 45, that clamps the rear end of the tie rod 8 in the winding head All of the tie rods 8, 8, 8, etc., are provided with a set of plungers, springs, and tension rolls, such as have just been described-and each of the tension rolls 43 is so positioned in the supporting tie rod as to be adapted to receive a strand wire from one of the four strand wire bobbins.

The wire from each bobbin is passed through a countersunk orifice 4?, in the inner side of the tie rod 8 and then out, between the plunger 36 and the tension roll 43, to the roll 42; from which it is, in turn, carried to a third roll 48, which is pivotally supported on a flanged collar, 49, that is detachably secured to the front head 'I of the winding drum. The strand wire then passes from the roll 48, through an inclined guard tube 53, to a guide nose, 54, that is centrally mounted in the hub 55 of the collar 49. This guide nose 54 is made of agate, or some other hard-non-conducting material, and is provided with a conical end, whose angular inclination to the axis of revolution is the supplement of the angle at which the strand wires are to be wound; and which is held in pressure engagement with a complementary nose piece 55 by means of the spring 5l and the retaining nut 58. The coned face of the guide nose 54 is provided with fourv radially disposed slots 5l), 68, 65, G, whose inner ends are substantially tangent to the surface of the core wire on which the strand wires are being laid, and whose width and depth are both slightly greater than the diameter of these strand wires. The guide orice in the nose piece 54 is a few thousandths of an inch larger than the Core body, c, and the corresponding opening in the cooperating member 56 is just large enough to allow the composite' core and helical Winding to slide easily therethrough. This guide nose construction enables us to accurately guide each strand wire up to the point where it is wound upon the core, and to mechanically maintain all portions of the core and strand wire eleme-nts in correctly spaced relationship, during the winding operation, without imposing any material fricticnal drag on the progressive movement of these elements during that operation.

The structural and operative features of the above described combination of strand wire and core wire guide mechanisms are of particularV advantage in conjunction with that part of our present .improvements which contemplates, and provides for, the winding of the strand wires while they are in a heated condition. In order to accomplish this object the pivot shaft blocks, 50-50, etc., which carry the guide rolls 48-48,

The

etc.,- are insulated from the supporting collar 49, and are electrically connected (through the individual resistance cells 5I -5I) to an insulated collector ring 6l, that is secured to the head 1, and is engaged by the stationary brush 62 on the pedestal bearing I2. The front trunnion I is bored out to receive an insulating sleeve 64, which carries the front element of the two part nose 54--56, and which. is detachably clamped in position, against the hub 55 of the collar member 49, by the hollow nut 65. The Sleeve 64 also carries a metal tube 65,'that is tightly engaged thereby and rotates therewith; and this tube is provided at its rear end with a head 61, on which is mounted a flexible Contact brushv 68 that is adapted to circumferentially engage the shaft sectionV as it emerges from the guide orifice in the nose element 58. The front portion of the tube 68 projects beyond the outer end of the sleeve 64, and is rotatably engaged by the bearing block 19 which carries a binding post 1I; and this post is flexibly connected, in turn, with an adjacent binding post 12 that is carried by the insulated pedestal 13.

The post terminals 62-12 are connected to the` two sides 63--14 of an electric circuit which is fed from any suitable source (e. g. such as the battery V); and when this circuit is closed by the switch r, the current will flow from the guide pulleys 423-48, etc., through the strand wire elements to the brush 68 and thence, through the tube 66 and its metallic bearing support 19, to the post connections 1I-12. The portions ofY the strand wires extending from the pulleys 48, to their points of winding contact with the core or underbody, can thus be raised to any desired temperature by regulating the flow of current therethrough (e. g. by means of the rheostat R); and Vif it is desirable, or necessary to apply a different degree of heat to different wires this result can be effected by varying the resistance of the individual cells 5I5I, etc. Y

'Ihe tension under which the strand wires are Wound can also be nicely regulated and automatically controlled-by the adjustment of the springs 38 and 40. The pull exerted on each strand wire at the point of windingwhich determines the tightness, or the degree of initial pressure contact, with which the strand wire coils engage the core-tends to move the corresponding guide pulley 42 toward the associated guide pulley 43, and thus concurrently vary the preadjusted tensions of the springs 38, 39, and 4B. Any momentary increase in this pull correspondingly increases the pressure on the spring 39 and the plunger brake block 36, and thereby tends to relieve the pressure of the latter on that portion of the strand wire which passes around the pulley 43 and thence to the pulleys 42--48. When the tension on the strand Wire tends to decrease Y the reverse action takes place; and by properly adjusting the frictional resistance to the rotation of the strand wire spools I5, I5, I5, I5, and the resistance to the movement of each strand wire between the pulley 43 and the brake block 38; the tension of winding may be automatically maintained at a substantially uniform value over-a long period without such hand adjustment as is necessary in other forms of shaft fabricating apparatus. It is further obvious that the preadjusted tension on each strand wire may, with this arrangement be individually and separately varied and controlled; so that different strand wires of the same group may, if desired, be Wound underdifferent-tensions.. l

If the temperature, to whichV the strandwires are raised, is substantially below the criticalannealing point (i. e. is substantiallyless than the equiaxing temperature for the material of which they are made), the heating of the wire, for the purpose of reducing the necessary wind-l ing tension, will not remove the beneficial effects of previous cold working-which are characteristic of the hard drawn wires Vordinarily employed in the fabrication of ilexible shafting-and in such cases the helically Wound layer of material will, when cooled, retain the elastic properties which it must possess in order to produce a s'atisfactory product. But if the strand wires are heated to a very high temperature, and then allowed to cool slowly these properties will be lost. In order to avoid this diiiculty, we provide means by which a very hot layer of strand wire maybe immediately chilled, or quenched, as soon as it is laid; thereby imparting, to such material as steel, a surface hardening or tempering that will substantially increase or improve its elastic and wear resisting characteristics.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 2a, 3 and 4, the illustrative means provided for practicing this last mentioned feature of our improvements, comprise an inner perforated tube which is detachably clamped in position, between the inner head 51 and the outer end of thetube 66, by means of the threaded collar 'I6-and two circulation conduits 11 and 18, which are connected respectively to the supply pipe 19 and the discharge pipe 80 in the bed B, and which are in communication (through the annular grooves 8 I-82 in the head 10, and the two rings of radial ports 83-84 in the tubes 66 and 15) With the outer and inner chambers formed by the concentric tubular members 66 and 15. When the control valve 85, in the conduit 11 is opened, fluid will flow from the supply pipe 19 through the port openings 8I-83 into the outer chamber between the tubes 68-15, and will be discharged, in a series of jets or sprays, through a multiplicity of minute orifices {l5-86, 81--81, etc., in the head 51 and the pipe 15, against the outer surface of the shaft section as it is drawn through the inner chamber. The cooling iluid, after having thus performed its intended function of suddenly chilling or quenching the hot layer of strand Wire, is carried along toward the delivery end of the inner pipe 'l5-in part by the movement of the shaft body, and in part by the ejector action of the forwardly inclined orifices 81--81, etc.-and is there thrown out, by centrifugal action, through the ring of ports 84-84 into the groove 82, from which it is drawn away by the discharge conduit 18. In order to eliminate any possible danger of Vleakage at the two ends of the tube 15-through the oriiices provided for the axial progression of the shaft section-the discharge conduit and pipe the suction side of a positive pump (e. g. the pump 88) that will establish and maintain a slight negative pressure-i. e. a pressure below atmospheric-in the inner chamber of the tube 15.

The shaft section which emerges from the delivery end of each winding unit, (ejg. the unit A'), will have the last applied layer of helical coils drawn down into close engagement with-the underlying core body. As already stated the initial degree of pressure contact between these superimposed shaft elements can be reduced, and is reduced, by winding the strand wire elements in a heated condition; the pressure engagement Will'be. subsequently increasedv by the cooling-and.

contracting of the helical layer and it is therefore desirable that before this contraction the pressure engagement shall be as light as possible. Hot winding has a further important advantage in that there results from it a very material decrease in the unbalanced stresses, and unrelieved strains, that result from cold windingi. e. from the excessive amount of cold Work that is necessary to coil a hard drawn highly elastic wire about a core of relatively small diameter. The elimination-or better the initial avoidance-of such abnormal elastic distortion effects, is just as important, and in some cases even more important, in the manufacture of flexible shaft products, than is the reduction of the initial pressure engagement between the successively superimposed shaft elements.

In order to relieve, or in some cases completely eliminate, this initial contact pressure between the core or underbody of the shaft and each helical layer wound thereon-which results from the winding of the strand wires either cold or hot-we provide means for mechanically working and treating the shaft section immediately after each helical layer is applied, and before the succeeding layer is superimposed therein. In the illustrative embodiment of our improvements, as herein shown and described, these means comprise a high speed rotary swaging, or swaging and rolling, unit (N), which is positioned close to the eXit or delivery end of the associated winding unit A; and which is designed and adapted to work the shaft section which passes therej through either hot or cold as may be desired.

Fig. 9).

In the form of construction shown in Figs. l-la, 2-2a, 8, 9, 10, and 1l, each of these swaging units comprises two heads, 90 and 9|, which are respectively mounted on the shaft or trunnion supports 92--93 that revolve concentrically in a common bearing pedestal 94. The outer trunnion member 92 carries, at its forward end, a driving gear 95, and is connected, at its rear end, with the outer annular head 90, by four radially extendings arms Sii-96, etc. (as best shown in This outer head comprises a c-ontinuous rim 91, and a web portion 98, on which four anvil block cages |90, |00, |00, |09, are detachably mounted, and which is also provided with two diametrically opposite bosses |0|-|0|, that receive the two stud bolt bearing members |02| 02.

Each of the cage members |00 carries a reciprocable anvil block |03, which is provided with a lug |04, that projects through a slot in the outer face of the cage member and carries an adjustable stop screw |05 for limiting the inward radial movement of the anvil block; and the latter is normally held against its stop by a compression spring |06 which is interposed between the reciprocable member |03 and the inner end of a plunger |01 that is slidably mounted in the rim 91 of the outer head 90 but is prevented from rotating therein by a slot and pin connection |08. The cuter portion of the plunger |01 is threaded to engage with a worm wheel |09, which is held in position between the rim 91 and a bracket |0 that is removably attached thereto, (as by the screws Hl); and the teeth of this worm wheel member are engaged by a worm l2, whose shaft is rotatably mounted in the said rim, and which can be revolved by a star wheel, ||3, that is attached to one end of the said shaft. A double bell crank lever |4 is pivotally supported on the pedestal frame 94 and is provided, at the opposite ends of its lateral arms with two pins ||5| |6, which are normally out of contact with the teeth of the star wheel |3, but which may be projected into the plane of these teeth by rocking the lever on its pivot support I1. In the normal position of the parts, each of these star wheels may be revolved by hand (when the head 90 is at rest) to thereby move the associated plunger member |01 radially, inwardly or outwardly, and thus independently vary or adjust the tension of the anvil block springs IUS-|06, etc.; and when the A head 90 is revolved all of the star wheel worm and Worm wheel devices may be concurrently actuated, (to simultaneously vary the tensions of these springs), by rocking the lever 4 up or down so as to move one or the other of the two pins H5 or llt, into the line of circumferential movement of the star wheel teeth, and thereby rotate each of the said star Wheels through one tooth space as it passes the engaging pin,-the direction of this rotation being determined by the position of the lever.

'I'he inner head 9| is keyed or otherwise detachably secured to the rear end of its trunnion or shaft support 93; and is provided with four radial slots |20|20, etc., each of which is adapted to receive a reciprocating swaging die |2|, whose inner end is so shaped, (as shown best in the enlarged view of Fig. l1) as to engage with the surface of the shaft on a line, or in a zone, offset from the axial line of reciprocation; or, stated in another way, in a zone which is eccentrically disposed to the radial plane of swaging die movement. The outer ends of the slots |20 are enlarged to receive the actuating rollers |22, which bear on the outer ends of the swaging dies |2|, and which serve to drive these dies inwardly when the rollers engage with the spring pressed anvil blocks ID3-|03, etc. The outward movement of each of the cooperating roller-die elements |2| |22 is independently limited, and adjustably controlled by a pin |23 which is revolvably seated in the head 9| and which is provided witha reduced eccentric portion |24 whose diameter is substantially less than the central opening in the roll |22 through which it passes. This pin is provided with a squared head by which it can be rotated so as to bring the eccentric element |24 into any desired position with respect to the associated roll 22 and thus govern the possible radial throw or recoil of the swaging die after it is driven inward by the engagement of the roll and anvil block members |22-|03.

The die elements |2|-|22 are held ln operative position in the head 9| by a cover plate |25, which is secured to the exposed face of the head by means of screws |23, and also by means of lock nuts |21 on the outer ends of the pins |23; and the removal of this cover plate permits these elements to be readily taken out and replaced by other swaging dies and rollers of different form or material, when such changes are -deemed desirable.

The heads 90 and 9| are operatively interconnected by one or more pairs of spur gears,

and |3I, which are keyed together and revolved as a unit on the stud bolt members, |02| 02; and which engage respectively with a gear |33, that is pinned to the head 9| (or which may be keyed to the trunnion 93), and a gear |34 that is Xedly secured in the pedestal frame 94. When the outer head 90 is revolved, (e. g. by the rotation of the gear 95), the gear 3| rolls on the Xed gear |34, and the motion thus communicated to the connected member |30 drives the gear |33 (and with it the inner head 9|) in the opposite direction to that in which the outer head 90 is rotating. In the illustrative construction here shown (Figs. 8, 9, and V10) the diameters'of the gear elements |3|l|3|7|30|33 are so propor-v tioned that the speed of rotation of the inner head is about 2% greater than that ofthe outer head; so that at each revolution of the latter the instantaneous angular relationship of the two oppositely rotating members is shifted by about '7 degrees. The driving mechanism for actuating the gear member 95 of each swaging unit comprises, a sprocket wheel |36 which is mounted to revolve Vfreely on the stud bolt bearing |31; a spur gear |38 which is detachably secured to the hub or the wheel |36, and is adapted to engage the gear 95; a sprocket |39'that is driven bythe jack shaft J; and a chain |49 which connects the two sprockets |36 and |39. In order to provide for varying the angular velocity of the swager heads, the stud bolt support |31 is mounted in an arcuate slct |4 l whose center of curvature is the axis of the jack shaft; and by changing the sizeof the removable spur gear'V |39, and correspondingly shifting the position'of the stud bolt bearing member |31 in this slot, so as to bring the geary |38 into operative engagement with the gear 95, the rotative speed of the latter may be varied within wide limits.

The simultaneous revolution of the two swager heads Sii-9|, in opposite directions and at sube. g. such as is shown in the Angell Patent No.

1,990,514, issued Februarylz, l935-when the latter is revolved at the same speed) and the introduction of a slight variation in the reverse speeds of the two heads, with a consequent continual procession or recession of the zones of impact about the axis of rotation, uniformly distributes the effect of the swaging action aroundthe entire periphery of the axially moving shaft even when the latter is not rotated. The greatly improved action which may be obtained in this way may be illustrated by considering the case of an ordinary flexible rshaft which is being fabricated at the usual speed'of about 10 feet perrminute (2. per second). The ordinary four jaw swager, running at a speed of 2400 R, P. M. (40 R. P. S.) will deliver 160 blows per second, and if the length of the swagerdies is'one-half inch each circumferential element of the moving shaft will receive, in its passage through these dies, 40 blows, that are all localized in four zones 90 apart. One improved swager, if run at the same speed, will deliver 80 blows on each circumferential element and these blows will be distributed around the periphery at angular intervals of about 7, or less if desired;-the number of blows per unit length of the shafting, and the peripheral distribution of these blows on the surface of the helically wound outer layer, being each independently controllable (for any given speed of winding) by changing the size of the gear |38 (or of the sprocket wheel |35), and by altering the ratio between the pitch diameters of the two gears ISU-|33, (or. |3| and |34).

The purpose and effect of using the particular formV and arrangement of swaging die elements which are shown in Figs. 8 and 9-which are so shaped and disposed as to engage with the shaft surface in zones that are laterally displaced or offset from the radial planes of die movement- This last mentioned effect may be fur-V volving the inner swaging head 9| in a direction opposite to that in which the outermost helical layer is applied by the preceding winding head. As shown in Fig. 1l the eccentrically directed blow of each of the die members |2| tends to rotate the shaft body in the direction inV which the engaging ends of these dies are offsetk from the center of the shaft; and if this direction of rotation is the opposite of that in which the outermost coil is woundas indicated by the inner arrow w-the result of such movement will beto slightly uncoil or recoil the helicalrwinding as it passesthrough and issues from the swaging dies, and thus aid, to that extent, the enlargement Aof the wound coils. The'effect of this eccentric peenng and planishing is obviously increased if the inner head 9|, which carries the swaging dies |2|--|2|, etc., is revolved in the di. rection of the offset actioni. e. in the direction indicated by the outer arrow,'y, Vof Fig. 11'-and since the direction of winding is preferably re-L versed in each successive layer, provision is Vmade for correspondingly reversing, at will, the rotaticn of the swager units. In the arrangement here shown this reversal is accomplished by means of a supplemental gear |42 (indicated byV dotted lines in Fig. 8) which may be mounted in a stud bolt bearing |43, that is carried by the pedestal S4, in such position as to mesh with the gear 95; and when this supplemental gear is to be used, the stud bolt support |31 isY moved down in the slot |4| to a point, (e. g. the point |3111), where the gear |38 is out of engagement with the gear 95 and in mesh with the supplemental gear |42.

The system of gears which we have provided for driving the various operative parts of our improved swaging apparatus enables us to obtain any desired, or desirable, ratio of relative angular movement between the two reversely rotating swager heads; and also permits these heads to be driven at any desirable speed, and in either di,- rection, with respect to the associated winding head unit, or units; and, since the latter units are also provided-asV will be presently explained-with reversible and variable speeddriving trains, each pair, or set, of winding and swaging instrumentalities may be operated at such inter-related speeds as will most effectively accomplish the desired results in the particular type or kind of product which is to be fabricated.

In most operations of the character here contemplated, it has been found most advantageous to subject the product to the mechanical swaging and planishing action of the units N1, N2, etc., while it is cold-i. e. at room temperaturebecause such cold working operations tend to improve the elastic properties of the material, and to restore the physical characteristics that may have been removed in part by the heating of the strand wire prior to winding. It has also been found that the beneficial effects of such cold lil working may beV enhanced, in certain cases, by carrying on the operation in an intense magnetic field; and in order to provide for this we mount a powerful solenoid |45, on the cover plate of the inner swaging head 9|; and so construct and arrange the casing elements of this structure as to form, with the centrally disposed shaft section, a clos-ed magnetic circuit for the lines of force generated by the exciting current in the solenoid. In order to most effectively concentrate the magnetic field in the swaging zone, the inner swaging head 9|, and the cover plate |25, are made of bronze, or some other non-magnetic material, and the inner retaining head |46 of the solenoid cell is formed of like material. The cylindrical casing |41, and the outer head |48 of this cell, are made of soft steel or iron, or permalloy, and the inner end of the casing member |41 is providedwith an outwardly and inwardly turned flange |49, which is cut away to expose the ends of the stop pins |23 and the lock nuts |21, and which is detachably secured to the head 9| by the screws |59. The inwardly turned portion of this flange |49 is also preferably provided with four bosses |5|-|5|, etc., which are seated in openings in the face of the cover plate |25, and whose ends lie in close proximity to the adjacent faces of the swaging dies |2| |2|, etc. The casing |41 carries two. insulated collector rings |52-l52, which are connected to the terminals of the solenoid coil and are -engaged by the brushes |53|53, that are mounted on a lateral extension of the adjacent pedestal 13. Current is conducted to these brushes from any suitable circuit, V', (as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 2), and is regulated in volume by an adjustable rheostat or transformer R9 so as to Vary and control the resultant strength of the magnetic field. It is apparent that the casing members |41|48|5|| 5|, etc., the steel swaging dies, |2|-|2|, etc., and the shaft Section S-S, extending from the first to the last of these members, form a substantially closed path (save for the small gap between the casing projections |5||5| and the dies |2||2| for the lines of force generated by the exciting current in the coil |45; and that the eld thus created in the Zone of cold working (swaging) action may, if desired, be brought to the point of magnetic saturation of the shaft material.

'I'he removal of the end casing plate |48, which is detachably secured to the casing member |51, and which forms, in conjunction with the spool or bobbin element |46, the support for the solef noid coil |45, permits the latter to be readily slipped out and replaced by another element carrying a different winding; and by removing the four screws wil-|53, etc., all of the assembled parts, |46|41|48 i |52, etc., may be detached from the cover plate |25, without disturbing any other portion of the swaging mechanism. The latter may therefore be used to perform its desired functions, either with or without the accessory device last described; and the latter may be brought into, or put out of, action, at any time while the fabrication is proceeding, by closing or opening the electric circuit through the solenoid coil |45.

If the layer of strand wire which is applied by any one of the winding heads A1, A2, A3, or A4, is wound at a high temperaturei. e. a temperature substantially above the critical annealing point of the strand wire material-and is afterwards quickly quenched by the use of the cooling tube unit previously described (see Fig. 6) the resultant surface hardening or tempering of the strand Wire layer may in some cases make it desirable to reheat this wire, before and (or) during the swaging operation. We provide for such reheating by passing a current of regulable volume through the portion of the shaft which extends from the pedestal 13 to a point just beyond the Zone of swaging action; i. e. from the sliding contact |55, which is connected to the post 12, to the flexible brush |53, which is mounted on an insulated bushing in the, end of the shaft 93, and is connected to an insulated collector ring |51 on the hub of the head 9|. The ring |51 engages a sliding contact |58, which is carried by the swager head 9|, and which is electrically coupled to a second collector ring |59 on the outer periphery of the said head; and this last mentioned ring is engaged by a stationary brush |60 on the pedestal 94. The brush |69 is connected, through the switch 12 and the adjustable resistance R2, to the battery or generator main (53) that leads 4to the post 62; and by regulating the current flow in the last described circuit, 12- |56 |69 63, the shaft section extending between the contacts |55-I55 may be heated to any desired temperature during the swaging operation.

When the above described apparatus is used in the last described manner, to hot swage the strand wire layer, it may be desirable to again quickly cool or quench the heated metal as it leaves the working zone; and this may be done by providing a cooling tube unit 66d. which is of the same general construction as that shown in Fig. 6, and which is mounted in, and revolves with, the trunnion shaft 93. The cooling fluid is introduced to, and drawn from, the concentric chambers of this cooling tube, through stationary head and pipe connections 19a-11a--18a, that lead to the supply and discharge conduits 19 and 8G, in the bed of the apparatus; and the flow of this fluid is effected and controlled, by the aid of the valve 85a in the manner previously described.

Figs. 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 illustrate an alternative form of swaging mechanism which presents the general features of construction and operation that characterize the structure shown in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive; but which differs therefrom in certain details which will be briefly described. This second form of swaging unit-which may be substituted for any one, or all, o-f the units N1, N2, N3, or N4-also comprises two revolvable heads 99a. and 9|a, which are respectively mounted on the concentric shaft or trunnion members, Maf-93a, and which are rotatably supported in a common pedestal bearing 94a. The two heads, Slim-9m are, in this case, interconnected by a pair of transmission pinions IGZ-|62, which are mounted to revolve freely on stud bolt supports |63--|63, that .are carried by the outer head 99a; and which are concentrically engaged by an outer annular ring gear |65, affixed to the stationary pedestal bearing member 94a, and by central spur gear |55, that is keyed or otherwise secured to the inner head and trunnion members 9|a-33a- The inner trunnion shaft 93a is provided with a gear wheel 95a, which is driven from the jack shaft J, by the sprocket wheel and chain connections |35a-|39a-|49u., and by the associated spur gears |42a and (or) |38a, that are rotatably supportedv on the pedestal 94a, by the respective stud bolt bearings |43a and |31a. The rotation of the gear 95af-and of the head 9|a which is driven thereby-act, through the planetary gear system Yii-elG'E---l655, to rotate the outer head 90a in the same direction, but at a. substantially lower speed; and Vthe revolution of Ythe jack sha-ft J in any one direction, say clockwise, will revolve the inner head in the same dimotion-viz. clockwise-as it is rotated by the system of gear connections shown in full Ylines in Fig. 8. In order to reverse this direction of rotation we provide a second stud bolt hole |61, inthe pedestal frame 94a; and Vby shifting the Vstud bolt |3111., from the full line position shown in Figs. 12`and 14, to the hole |61, and then removing the pinion |42a, the gear 95a may be driven directly from the gear |380..

As has just been indicated the operation of the planetary gear system IE- I 62-- 68, differs from that of the system |34|3||30|33 previously described (Figs. 8 to 10) Vboth as to the relative direction of rotation, and as to the relative angular velocity, of the outer and inner swager heads.

' the outer head.

In the construction now under consideration the outer head is provided with six anvil block members-each of which is substantially identical with those shown in Figs. 8, 9, andlO-but the l inner head carries only two sets of swaging dies members, which differ, in some respects, from those previously described. Each of these swaging die members comprises a pair of hammer elements, |10 and |1|, which are mounted side by side in a radial groove |12, that is formed in the face of the head Bla; and a reciprocable block,

. |13, which is also positioned in this groove, in engagement with the outer ends of the saidelements (V10-Hl), and is limited in its radial movement by an eccentric stop pin |23a-I24a.

. similar in all respects to thecorresponding num- Y bered parts shown in Fig.`10;-these cooperating members being all retained in position by a cover plate |250. that is detachably secured to the outer face of the head Sia. The aggregate width of the two dies, |10 and |1|, is somewhat lessr than that of the groove |12; and their contiguous faces are normally held in contact with each other by a pair of opposing springs |15+|15 whose tension can be independently adjusted and controlled by the recessed set screws lle-|16 etc.

Each complete revolution of the inner head Sla brings each of the hammer blocks |13v into contact with four of the spring pressed anvil blocks IGSa on the outer head 90a, (which has concurrently rotated through 110) and thus rej number 0f revolutions.

sults in the delivery of eight impact blows on the surface of the shaft, at intervals of approximately 90 therearound. In the next revolution the areas of impact on the shaft surface are shifted about 10; and at the completion of nine revolutions of the inner head (or three of the outer) this surface has been subjected to swaging action on substantially its entire periphery; the relative speeds of the winding'head and of the swager heads being, of course, so adjusted that the linear or axial movement of the fabricated product does not exceed Vthe length of the die edges in this If the winding head is revolving at a speed of'1800 R. P. M. and 'is delivering a wound product at the rate of 2" per second; and if as previously assumed, the thickness of the swager dies is 1/2 inch (0.5) the necessaryv speed of the inner swager head, to effect this result, is 2160 R. P. M. Since the inner head is much lighter than the outer head it can be safely run at a much higher speed than that just mentioned; and the swaging effect can, if desired, be materially intensifiedrby Ythe use of such higher speeds.

The functional action of the die elements used vin this second form of swaging apparatus is slightly different from that of the corresponding dies |2|. The Zones'of engagement between the dies, |10--|'||, and the surface of the shaft S, are as before, offset in both directions from the center of the shaft, so that the die edges, when driven into contact therewith exert both a peening action, and a planishing or rubbing action thereon. This planishing effect is accentuated, and the radial force of thehammer blow is softened, by the yielding of the springs, |15|15', etc., which permits the two halves of each die, ITU-Ill, to separate as they engage the shaftas shown in Fig. 1li-and slide laterally over its surface. But this action is symmetrical with respect to the axis of the fabricated product; and

there is not, therefore, in this case any tendencyY to rotate the latter, unless the two opposing Y springs F15-|15 of each double die are of unequal tension, or unless the ends of the twin elements ITU-Ill are so shaped that they engage' the shaft at unequal distances from the medium plane,-as illustrated, for example, in Fig. 17.

It is sometimes desirable to supplement, orv

ever desired, to the exit or discharge end of'V either the trunnion shaft 93 (or 03a), or to the cooling tube 56a that is carried thereby. This rolling attachment is illustrated in detail in Figs. i8 and 19, and comprises an yannular cage |11, which is bored out to receive three rolls |18, that are retained in position against its inner hanged end |19, by a removable head |80. Each of these rolls is provided with trunnion extensions |8|, which project throughfand revolve freely in, short slots |82 and V|83 that are formed in the head |80 and the cage flange |19. The projecting portions of these trunnion members are coned or bevelled, and are engaged by the inturned flanges |84 and |85 of two cup shaped sleeves |86 and |81 which are concentrically mounted to slide freely, one within the other, but` are held against relative angular movement by the projecting lugs, |38, that are attached to the inner sleeve |31 and project outwardly through slots in the surrounding sleeve |86. rThe flange members, |84 and |85, are held in elastic engagement with the coned ends of the trunnions, ISI-ISL by a compression spring |90, which is interposed between the lugs Hi8-|88, etc., and an adjustable nut |9|, on the opposite end of the outer sleeve |86, and which serves to maintain an equalized inward pressure on the three rolls |18-|18|18. v

The spring |99 is covered by a guard tube |92 which is secured, at one end, to the lugs |88-I88, and is slidably engaged at the other end, with the nut ISH.4

The reduced end of the cage member |11 is secured to a threaded collar |93, which may be so formed as to screw into the outer end of the cooling tube 66a (when the latter is used) or into the end of the trunnion shaft 93 (or 93a) when the said tube is removed. WhenV so connected the roll cage |11 will be rotated about the aXis of the shaft at the same speed, and in the same direction, as the inner swager head 9 la is revolving; and if there is no substantial restriction on the free movements of the interengaged elements, |11-|18-|8i-|8ll-|25-|86 and |81, the spring pressed members |18|18|18 will roll around on the surface of the shaft, without exerting any material tendency to rotate or twist the latter. But if the revolving surface of the outer guard tube |92, is subjected to a very slight retarding force-e. g. by applying a very small tension to the primary or toe end (no-t the heel end) of a flexible band brake |94-the moving roll system will begin to act like a planetary gear and will tend to rotate the shaft, S, in the same direction in which the connected elem-ents 93 (or 93a) and |11, are rotating. When this rotation is in the direction of the arrows y of Figs.

l and l'-i. e. in a direction opposite to that of the last winding, w-the twisting or turning effect last described will cooperate with that produced by the offset swaging, in partially uncoiling or recoiling the helically wound outer layer; and thereby assisting the peening and planishing action, both in releasing or eliminating residual stresses and strains in the shaft elements, and also in reducing or relieving the initial pressure engagement between the core body and the strand wire coils wound thereon.

It will now be apparent that the rolling attachment last described-Which may be used at the option of the machine operator-can be employed to effect merely a compressing and smoothing action, that will tend to iron out any minute irregularities of surface produced by the swaging operations; or it can be utilized to produce a graduated and controllable recoil action which may be nicely adjusted, while the machine is in operation, by varying the retarding or braking effect on the sleeve assemblage ISG-|85 t |92.

As each shaft section, which is produced by the passage of the product through one of the Winding units (e. g. A1) is passed, in turn, through the associated swaging unit (e. g. N1),-Where it is subjected to a peening and planishing action (either hot or cold), or to an electromagnetic cold working operation, or to a rolling and smoothing action, or to a recoil action, or to two or more of these operations in sequence-it is engaged by a draft unit (e. g. M1), Which is designed to exert a continuously controlled axial tension on the moving shaft, and to draw the latter through the preceding winding and swaging units at a speed which will effect a uniform spacing of the helically wound strand wires. As shown in Figs. 1-2a and 21, each of the draft units M1, M2, and M3, comprises a horizontal capstan drum |95, around which the shaft is passed, one or more times, and which is rigidly secured to, but insulated from a. worm wheel |96 that is revolvably supported on the vertical stud bolt bearing member |91; a worm |98, which engages with the Worm wheel |96, and which is carried on the shaft |99; a bevel gear 200 which is secured to the shaft |99, and meshes with a pinion 20|, that is secured to a vertical shaft 202; a friction disc element 203 which is splined to, but is axially movable on, the

shaft 202; and a cooperating disc, 204, which engages the edge of the disc 203, and which is itself driven from the jack shaft J through the medium of a variable speed gear drive K-L. Each of the disc members 204, is secured, on one side, to a sprocket pinion |39, which forms part of the swager gear train, (already described), and, on the other side, to a second sprocket pinion 295 which forms a part of a Winding head gear train; so that each one of the last three variable speed drives, K--L, serves to concurrently actuatethree successively arranged units N1-M1-A2, N2-M2-A3, or N3-M2--A3, or N3-M3-A4, (see Figs. 1 to 2a) The variable speed gear drive K-L comprises a bevel pinion 206, which is keyed to the jack shaft J; a second bevel pinion 201 which is secured to the sprocket pinion 205, and which revolves freely on the shaft J; a pair of idle pinions 209, which connect the two gears 206 and 201, and which are mounted on arms carried by the Worm wheel 209 (that also revolves freely on the jack shaft J); a worm 2|0 which engages the Worm wheel 209, and which is mounted on the shaft of a reversible and variable speed motor L. When the motor is at rest, the gear 206 will drive the gear 291 at the same speed but in the opposite direction;-the axes of the transmission gears 208-208 being held in fixed position by the engagement of the Worm and worm Wheel elements 209 and 2|0-but when the motor L is rotated, the angular velocity of the driven gear 201 will be either increased or diminished (as determi-ned by the direction of motor rotation), by an amount Which is governed and controlled by the speed of the said motor.

This change in the speed of the four unitaria!- ly connected gear members 201-205-204 and |39, results in a simultaneous variation in the angular velocity of the associated swager heads Sii-9| (or 90o-Sla), and of the draft capstan |95, and of the next winding head unit; and this concurrent alteration of speed can be effected at any time while the apparatus is in operation, and will be sufficient to take care of any desired change in the relative speed of winding and swaging the second, third and fourth, layers of strand wire (by the units A2, A3, and A4). But in addition to these concurrent variations in the speed of all of the units of the three groups N1-M1-A2, N2-M2-A3, and N3-M3-A4, we have also provided for independently and separately varying the speed of each unit of this complete combination as follows: The angular velocity of the swager heads 90-9l (or 90a-9la) can be altered by changing the size of the gear elements |38 (or |38a) of any of the swager gear driving. trains (as already explained): The rate of rotation of any draft drum, |95, can be varied by shifting the friction disc 203 up or down on the shaft 202 (which may be effected by the use of the bell crank lever 2|| and the manually operable hand wheel 2|2) In order to independently control the speed and the direction of rotation of the several winding units, we provide each of these units with a secondary driving shaft J1, which is connected to the sprocket 205 by means of the sprocket 2 5 and the chain 2|6; and which is connected to the pinion |3, on the winding head trunnion 9, by means of the gears 2|1, 2|8 and 2|9. The gears 2|8 and 2 I9 are each mounted on stud bolt supports, which may be moved up and down, and clamped in any position, in the radial slot 220, of an adjustable arm 22|. Either (or both) of the gears I3 or 2|1 may be readily removed and' replaced by'. another (or others) of different size; and when this is done-and the position of thetransmission elements 2 I8 and 2|9 is readjusted to effect the'necessary connection between the said gearsthe winding head may be driven at any desired speed;` and its direction of rotation may alsobe readily reversed by re-V moving one of the transmission elements 2|8 or The first'winding head A1 is not directly interconnected VYwith the other units of the apparatus but isprovided witha driving train which is similar, in all respects, to the one just described; and which is actuated from the .jack shaft J through the intervention of another variable speedrmechanismK-L The motor (L) of this particular mechanism may be independently controlled-like the corresponding motors of the succeeding group actuating mechanisms-or it may be'coupled in series with the next motor (of the unitariallyregulated group N1-M1-A2) so as to obtain a concurrent and simultaneous variation in the speed of thefirst and second winding units. The construction of the'nal draftunit M4, is somewhat different from that of the preceding units, M1, M2 and M3; and thespeed control for this terminal member of the fabricating appa- Vratus is not connected with that of any of the other'units of the combination. The unit'M4 comprisesA a large horizontal capstan drum |9502, which is bolted to, but insulated from, a large spur gear 225 that is mounted' to revolve freely onV a pedestal support 226. This gear is engaged by`a small pinion 221, which is secured to a second large gear 228; and this gear is engaged, in turn, by another pinion 229 which is keyed to the upper end of a Y vertical shaft 230'. The shaft 230 carries a large heavy disc 23|, which rests on, and is driven by, a' small. friction gear element 232, which is splined on the jack shaft J; and

Vwhich may be adjusted in position on this shaft radially of the disc 23|- by means of the shift lever 233. The disc 23| is preferably connected to the shaft 230 through the medium of a torsion spring 234; and by shifting the position of the friction gear element 232 on the jack shaft J, the torsional twist in the spring 234, and the resultant pull on the fabricated shaft at the 'delivery end-of thev machine, may be varied and controlled, at the-will and in accordance with the judgment of the machine attendant. Y

After leaving the na1 draft unit M1 the fabricated shaft Vis passed through a pairV of guide rolls 235-236, and a pivoted guide tube 231, and is wound on the take-up spool D, which is operatively coupled to the jack shaft J by the train of reduction gears 238-239-240, and 24|, the double universal joint'and inclined shaft connections, 242-243, and the usual train of reel driving mechanism which is commonly employed in this art, and which need not, Yfor that reason be explained in detail. Y

In the operationV of our apparatus, the central core/body-which may be either asingle wire or a plurality of wires arranged in any desired relationship-is drawn from the pay-off reel C; and the successively formed sections of the fabricated product are progressed continuously through the several groups of winding and swaging units, A1-V-AN1, .A2-N2, etc.,r by the cooperative action of thedraft mechanisms M1, M2, M3, and M4, each of which may be adjusted,` as already explainedto exert any desired predetermined tension on the section of shaft with which it is engaged. 'In order that this adjustment may be most effectively utilized, in securing a uniformly wound product, it isV desirable to also provide means whereby the back pull on the central core element may also be regulated, and maintained at any preadjusted value. This result may be accomplished by the use of the automatic .tensioning mechanism shown in Figs. l and 2, which comprises a brake drum 244, around whichithe core body is wrapped one or more times, a

weighted pulley 245 that engages the said core Y between the point where it leaves the drum Y244 and the point where it passes over the direction pulley 246 and enters the rst winding unitk A1, and a magnetically actuated brake 241 whose action is controlled by the up and down movement of the pulley 245. This control may be effected in various ways; but as'here illustrated it is obtained by interposing two rheostats R10 and R11 in the circuit of the brake solenoid and connecting the movable contact 248 of one of these rheostat elements (e. g. R11) to the swinging arm that carries the weighted pulley 245.

In using this device the weights 249 and 250,

areadjusted to impose the desired tension or rise, and will move the contact 248 in such direc- Y tion'as to augment the resistance of the rheostatY R11 and decrease the current through the solenoid of the brake member 241. This will permit the brake drum 244 to revolve more easily and permit the pulley 245 to return to its normal position. If the resistance to the movement of the reel C is decreased-so as to permit the core body to pay oif at a `too rapid rate--the pulley 245 will fall and the reverse action will take place. Y

It is believed that the various characteristic features of our improved mode of procedure for fabricating flexible shaftirng; and of the mechanisms which we have described for practicing these improvements; will now be understood withoutfurther extended explanation. Very generallyV stated the features of procedure which we consider as novel and useful, are: the hot winding of the strandl wire layers on a core which is usually cold but which may also be heated-for the purpose of very substantially diminishing the force required to bend and coil these wires around the relatively small core body, and therebyreducing the stresses and strainsV imposed on the strand wire material during such' winding operationsthe immediate chilling Vor, quenching of the, hot wound strandV wires, (if theyl are heated' above the critical annealing temperature)-with the object of improving their physical characteristios-; and the subsequent,v mechanical working of each layer, (by Swaging, planishing and (or) rolling under controllable thermal and magnetic conditions for the purpose of releasing or. reducingY the residual stresses and strains that may remain in the material when the temperature ofv winding is relatively low, and of relieving the initial pressure engagement of the saidlayer withthe: underlying core bodybefore the next layer is .Wound thereon; the general object of these combined operations being to produce a finished product which Will not kink or our when it is cut up into short lengths; which will not uncoil or untvvist so as to make the outer layer unduly loose when the end restraint thereon is removed; Which Will not Whip or jump when rotated in a bent or curved condition; which Will be sufficiently free from internal friction to permit it to be used effectively-i. e. without material loss of energy, or undue Wear; for power transmission purposes; and which Will have sufficient torsional strength or stiffness to avoid excessive elastic lag, or lost motion, under varying degrees of torque application. Our improved procedure is particularly designed and adapted to produce, in one continuous or uninterrupted operation, a shaft having all of these characteristics.

The correlative features of our improved mechanical organization, here disclosed as one means of performing the several steps above outlined, are: the instrumentalities for heating each strand Wire to a denite temperature just prior to its application to the core body, and for establishing any desired relation between the temperatures of different strand Wires either in the same or in different layers; the devices for preadjusting and automatically maintaining a predetermined tension on the strand Wires during each Winding operation-it being possible to adjust and if desired, independently vary the tension on each Wire, in accordance With the conditions of Winding; the means for directing and controlling a forced flow of cooling iluid against the surface of the hot Wound layer of strand wire elements as they pass from the region of winding; the means for subjecting each successively wound layer of strand Wire to a special svvaging-i. e. to a combined peening and planishing action-at either normal room temperature or at a higher temperature-; the devices for altering the intensity or effect of this swaging action, without interrupting the operation of the machine; the means for creating and maintaining a magnetic field, of any desired intensity, at the points or zones of swaging; the cooperative instrumentalities for further subjecting the swaged layer to either a rolling and smoothing, or to a controllable recoil, action; the mechanisms for applying an independently regulable degree of axial draft or pull on the core body and on each successively assembled portion of the complete shaft; the means for varying the rotative speed of the Winding heads, and of the draft mechanisms, either separately or conjunctively, while the fabrication is proceeding; and Various other associated and correlated elements of construction which contribute to the attainment of the objects and results of our present improvements.

We do not desire to limit our invention to the precise details of construction and arrangement as herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the essential features of our invention as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention We claim:

l. In an apparatus for the fabrication of ilexible shafting the combination of means for progressing a core body, mechanism for Winding a helically disposed coil of strand Wire thereon, and means for heating said strand Wire before and during the Winding operation and including a shield embracing'said strand wire for maintaining. a predetermined uniform temperature.

2. In an apparatus for the fabrication of fienibie shafting the combination of mechanism for Winding a plurality of strand on a core body, and means for heating each of the said wires to an individually controllable temperature prior to and during the Winding operation and including a shield embracing each of said strand wires for maintaining a predetermined uniform temperature.

3. In an apparatus for the fabrication of flexible shafting the combination of a winding head adapted to apply a helically disposed layer of strand Wire to a core body, means for heating the said strand Wire before and during the said application, and mean extending into ciose proximity to the region of fabrication for rapidly cooling the said hot Wound layer immediately after it is applied to the said core.

4. In an apparatus for the fabrication of flexible shafting the combination of a head adapted to Wind a helically disposed layer of strand Wire around a central core body, means arranged to control the line of movement of the strand wire at a. predetermined angle to said core body, and means cooperative with the movement of said strand wire arranged to maintain a constant tension on the said Wire at its point of application to the said core.

5. In an apparatus for the fabrication of flexible shafting the combination of a head adapted to apply a helically Wound layer of strand Wire to a core body, a guide nose for controlling the line of movement of the said strand Wire and directing it to its point of engagement With the said core at a predetermined angle, and mechanism for establishing and automatically maintaining a definite and constant tension on the said wire during the winding operation.

6. In an apparatus for the fabrication of flexible shaftng the combination of mechanism for Winding a layer of strand Wire about a core body, a svvaging mechanism adapted to subject the said wound layer to a rapidly recurrent series of impact blows, and means operable while the said swaging mechanism is in action for preadjusting and regulating the force of the said blows.

7. In an apparatus for the fabrication of flexible shafting the combination or a Winding head adapted to apply a helically disposed layer of strand Wires to a core body, means for heating the said strand wire before and during the said application, means for heating the combined core and strand Wire elements after such application, svvaging -mechanism adapted to apply a rapidly recurrent series of impact stresses to the said combined elements while they are heated, and means for rapidly cooling the material after said sWaging operation.

8. In an apparatus for the fabrication of flexible shafting the combination of means for Winding a layer of strand Wire on a core body, means for subjecting the assembled core and strand wire elements to the action of a magnetic el-d, and svvaging mechanism adapted to impose a rapidly recurrent series of impact stresses on the said shaft elements while they are subjected to the action of said eld.

9. In an apparatus for the fabrication of exible shafting, the combination of a Winding mechanism adapted to Wind a helical coil of Wire on a central core, With a svvaging mechanism which comprises a series of hammerdies circumferentially disposed about the axis of the said core 

